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More traditionally, over two hundred deities converge on
Kullu for its
unusual Dussehra Celebrations. They pay homage to Lord Raghunathji while
Music and colour fill the "Silver Valley". Dussehra at Kullu
commences on the tenth day of the rising moon, i.e. on 'Vijay Dashmi' day
itself and continues in seven days.
A feast of Rhythm and Harmony
On the first day the idol of Lord Raghunathji saddle on a gaily attired
chariot and attended by village gods mounted in colourful planquins, is
pulled from its fixed place in Dhalpur Maidan to another spot across the
Maidan by Big ropes. The pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by the local
people. This forms a huge procession. All the gods of the valley has to
visit Kullu on
Dussehra in order to pay homage to Raghunathji.
On the following days in the mornings and in the evenings the gods are
invoked and paraded. The people remain busy buying, selling, singing and
dancing during all the seven days of the festival, which concluded with
the burning of the Lanka.
The chariot of Raghunathji is taken near the banks of
Beas on the last day of the festival
where a pile of wood grass is set on fire, which symbolises the burning of
Lanka and is followed by the sacrifice of chosen animals.
The birth of Dussehra in
Kullu lay in royal
fads and it nourished on religious, social and economic factors and
ultimately came to be well established, because of the inborn love of the
hill-men for fun, frolic, displayed in community singing and dancing.
Numerous stalls offer a verity of local wares. This is also the time when
the International Folk Festival is celebrated.